Hand grenade trigger safety lock

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a safety device for conventional hand grenades. The safety device comprises a double headed cotter pin which is automatically locked in a safe position by the lever handle and can be removed by the thrower, when desired, to arm the grenade.

o United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,823,670 Zacharin July 16, 1974 [54] HAND GRENADE TRIGGER SAFETY LOCK 3,742,855 7/1973 Webb 102/64 5] Inventor: Alexey Zacharin, pp y FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS NJ 488,056 5/1918 France 102/64 [73] Assignee: The United States of America as "presented 1 the secretary of the Primary Examiner-Verlin R. Pendegrass Army Washmgton, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward J. Kelly; Herbert 22 Filed: Oct. 30, 1973 Berh'Thomas Webb 21 A l. N 411,108 1 pp 57 ABSTRACT 52 US. Cl. 102/64 The Present invention relates to a Safety device for 51 1111.01. ..'F42b 27/00 Cdnvemional hand grenades- The Safety device M f H 102 64, 65 816 prises a double headed cotter pin which is automati- [58] 0 Search cally locked in a safe position by the lever handle and [56] References Cited can be removed by the thrower, when desired, to arm UNITED STATES PATENTS the grenade- 9/1963 Jans 102/64 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUL 1 81974 SHEET 1 0F 2 HAND GRENADE TRIGGER SAFETY LOCK The invention described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The method of arming bombs or grenades of the type which are to be thrown by hand over moderate distances has been accomplished by the removal of a pin. This pin normally acts as a stop to prevent a spring impelled striker which is controlled by a lever to cause an initiation of the explosive train. The thrower removes the pin by hand while holding the lever to delay initiation until the grenade isthrown.

, wooded areas run the risk that branches may snag on the pull ring and accidently pull out the pin. Also, the pull ring may snag on protruding objects in close or congested quarters and near motor vehicles;

Accordingly, the subject invention sets forth a new construction incorporating a safety device which will overcome the aforementioned hazards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the principal object of subject invention to provide a hand explosive which gives a greater margin of safety, simpler construction and greater ease of use to the soldier in the field.

Another object is to provide a simple and reliable hand explosive which can be locked or made secure when being transported or carried about and readily conditioned for use without danger to the person using it. These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, which comprises a new construction for hand explosives such as grenades, which can be handled with greater safety than prior designs. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a novel trigger lock mechanism, which comprises a double headed cotter pin in combination with a modi fied form of a conventional lever for controlling the initiation of an explosive train. The modified lever is pro vided with a sidewall, which extends beyond the side of the grenade head to which it is attached by the cotter pin and terminates between the two heads of the cotter pin, and contains a hole which is large enough to pass the first head of the cotter pin. By pressing the lever handle until the hole therein is in alignment with the hole in the grenade head, the cotter pin can be inserted to the normal position, wherein the lever sidewall is in alignment with the notch between the two heads of the cotter pin.v Release of the pressure on the lever handle causes the lever sidewall to engage the cotter pin at a point between its two heads, thereby locking it and preventing its accidental removal. Conversely, the pin can be quickly removed'simply by pressing the lever until the said holes are in alignment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a side view showing the hand grenade in the safe position.

FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway cross-sectional view of the grenade of FIG. 1 showing the position, design and alignment of the cotter pin.

FIG. 3 shows the side view of a hand grenade in the armed position.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view, showing the grenade before release of the lever.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in-which like characters or references designate similar parts in various views, 12 indicates the hand grenade, which comprises a housing 14 of any suitable size and shape adapted tocontain an explosive charge 16. At the top of the housing is a head or crown 18, which contains a time fuze of conventional type comprising an initiator 20, delay fuze 22 and detonator charge 24 for the main explosive charge 16. An impeller striker 26, adapted by spring 28 to strike initiator 20, is held in retracted position by a lever 30 whenthe latter is in the safe position. The lever 30 whose handle is curved to the contour of the grenade housing 14, is pivotally engaged by a hook end 32 to the bar fulcrum 34 of crown l8, and is locked to the crown 18 by a double headed cotter pin 36 with heads 38 and'40. This cotter pin is inserted through hole 42 in lever 30 against the grenade housing 14. A pull ring 41 is passed through the eye of the second head of the cotter pin. As shown in FIG. 2, hole 42 is located in sidewall 46 of lever 30 and is large enough to permit the first head 38 of double headed cotter pin 36 to pass therethrough. Sidewall 46 of the lever projects beyond the side 48 of crown 18 such that the position of hole 42 therein is located between head 38 and head 40 of the cotter pin 36 when the cotter pin is in operative position, as shown in FIG. 2. In the safe position, the upward pressure of the spring biased impeller striker 26 on lever 30 causes the lever to point in an arc outwardly from the grenade housing and forces the grenade housing, the lever can be pivoted until hole 42 is aligned with hole 44 or otherwise in a position so as to clear the first head 38 of the cotter pin and thereby permit the cotter pin to be withdrawn, which results in the arming of the grenade. A stop 50 in crown 18 is provided to ensure this alignment or clearance position when the lever handle is pressed against the grenade housing.

In the safe position the grenade can be handled in the normal fashion. The cotter pin is lockedby the engagement of the lever sidewall with the notch between the two heads of the cotter pin; Consequently, no accidental withdrawal of the cotter pin is possible.

In operation the grenade is grasped in such a manner as to press the lever down against the body of the grenadeiuntil it reaches to stop 50. This causes an alignment of the holes 38 and 40 and permits the removal inserting a finger into the pull ring attached thereto and pulling the cotter pin from the grenade. The grenade is thus ready to be thrown. As soon as the grenade has been thrown, the lever is free to swing outwardly by the pressure of the spring biased striker, which is thereby released and strikes the percussion cap.

It is thus evident that the invention provides a hand grenade trigger safety lock, which combines simpler and less costly construction, greater ease of operation and greater reliability and safety than are present in conventional hand grenades.

I claim:

1. In a hand grenade comprising:

a housing containing an explosive charge:

a crown on said housing containing an explosive train to initiate said charge;

a lever for controlling activation of said train,'pivotably and removably attached to a first end of said crown;

a removable cotter pin inserted through a hole in said lever and a hole in a second end of said crown to lock said lever to said crown;

a spring biased impeller striker for initiating said explosive train held in a retracted position by said lever and capable of urging said lever away from said housing on removal of said cotter pin;

a pull ring attached to the second head of said cotter pin; The improvement wherein said cotter pin possesses a first head and a second head, said first head being adjacent to said crown; and said lever comprises a sidewall, which extends over the side of said crown and contains a hole, which is larger than the first head of said cotter pin and is alignable by pivotal movement of said lever with the hole in said crown for passage of said cotter pin, wherein the hole in said lever sidewall is located in a position between the first and second heads of said cotter pin when the cotter pin is in operative position, whereby the cotter pin a. is locked and cannot be removed when the sidewall of said lever engages the cotter pin between said first and second heads by pivotal movement of said lever due to urging by said retracted striker; and b. can be unlocked and removed when said holes are aligned by pivotal movement of said lever through manual pressure thereon. 2. The grenade according to claim 1, which contains a means for stopping pivotal movement of the lever by manual pressure thereon when said'holes are in alignment to permit removal of the cotter pin from the gre- 

1. In a hand grenade comprising: a housing containing an explosive charge: a crown on said housing containing an explosive train to initiate said charge; a lever for controlling activation of said train, pivotably and rEmovably attached to a first end of said crown; a removable cotter pin inserted through a hole in said lever and a hole in a second end of said crown to lock said lever to said crown; a spring biased impeller striker for initiating said explosive train held in a retracted position by said lever and capable of urging said lever away from said housing on removal of said cotter pin; a pull ring attached to the second head of said cotter pin; The improvement wherein said cotter pin possesses a first head and a second head, said first head being adjacent to said crown; and said lever comprises a sidewall, which extends over the side of said crown and contains a hole, which is larger than the first head of said cotter pin and is alignable by pivotal movement of said lever with the hole in said crown for passage of said cotter pin, wherein the hole in said lever sidewall is located in a position between the first and second heads of said cotter pin when the cotter pin is in operative position, whereby the cotter pin a. is locked and cannot be removed when the sidewall of said lever engages the cotter pin between said first and second heads by pivotal movement of said lever due to urging by said retracted striker; and b. can be unlocked and removed when said holes are aligned by pivotal movement of said lever through manual pressure thereon.
 2. The grenade according to claim 1, which contains a means for stopping pivotal movement of the lever by manual pressure thereon when said holes are in alignment to permit removal of the cotter pin from the grenade. 